I had planned to write up the last weeks birding daily, but time just runs away from me.
Its been an unbelievable week with some fantastic sighting and great birding moments with a few photographic opportunities thrown in.
Morning one:
A return visit to Benejuzar and the Segura river, some of the birds seen Melodious Warbler, Night Herons, Nightingale's, Turtle Dove's, Woodchat Shrike, Common Cuckoo, Booted Eagle.
Woodchat Shrike
Melodious Warbler
Turtle Dove
lots of smaller birds like Sean and Linnet. A quick hop over to La Mata for Montague's Harrier which was very mobile, but showed well.
lots of smaller birds like Sean and Linnet. A quick hop over to La Mata for Montague's Harrier which was very mobile, but showed well.
Morning Two Yecla :
For this visit Mark Etheridge joined Trevor and me for the mornings birding our first stop was to get Mark a few photos at the Rock Sparrow site, which is very active with lots of displaying and comings and goings on.
Rock Sparrow
several Black-eared Wheatears showed very well in different location's, this was a WertherS' caramel moment.
Black-eared Wheatear
Short-toed, Thekla's, Calandra, and Crested Lark all showed during the day.
several Black-eared Wheatears showed very well in different location's, this was a WertherS' caramel moment.
Calandra Lark
It was big, the flypast lasted about 45 seconds as the bird follow the bottom of the valley and then lost to view. Trevor and Mark were looking at each other and scratching their heads trying to ID the large raptor. I never put my binoculars on the bird, I was busy trying to get some photos, which proved difficult as the autofocus wanted to focus on the background and not the bird.
I'm glad I did, as with the photos and the guide books we were able to confirm it was a Spanish Imperial Eagle. Its the second time in as many weeks that an Imperial Eagle been seen around this area The WertherS caramel moment was out again.
Later on we came across another big Eagle sat in a field, I got a bit excited as it was fairly close, we all jumped out the car and watch it take flight, always ass on and going away, but our thought of another encounter with the Imperial Eagle were dashed as it banked and showed it was a Short-toed Eagle. Another excuse for a WertherS moment.
Black-eared Wheatear
We ended our day with a repeat performance of the Black-eared Wheatears, nice extended mornings birding with Trevor and Mark, and looking forward to our planned visit to Guadelentin valley.
We ended our day with a repeat performance of the Black-eared Wheatears, nice extended mornings birding with Trevor and Mark, and looking forward to our planned visit to Guadelentin valley.
Day Three Guadelentin valley:
Early start. The three Amigos set off and one hour and 20 minutes later we were birding, first bird seen Short-toed Lark, which shows well compared to the ones we had seen at Yecla, on the road a Tractor towing a muck spreader appeared, Trevor accelerated to get out the way,, unfortunately at the same time I spotted an amazingly close Black-bellied Sandgrouse sat on top of a sandbank, an emergency stop was enough to flush the bird, if only that tractor hadn't shown up, and as it happens it went in the opposite direction. Sod's law.
Turtle Dove
We caught up with a few European Rollers which posed for us. A very showy Turtle Dove and Bee-eaters.
European Roller
underwing
European Roller
European Bee-eaters
There had been some light overnight rain and Trevor was not keen to leave the tarmac road as it meant getting the rented car a bit dirty, so we had a little bit of a flat period with not much happening except a flyover of a Montague Harrier. we had all most gone completely around, when I said to Mark, this is a good area for Spectacled Warbler so I asked if we should stop and listen sure enough we heard the call of Spectacled Warbler we all got out the car Trevor then pick a Short-toed Eagle on a distant pylon, Mark was trying to photograph the Spectacled , I heard a scratchy call very close. I peeped over the top of a bush and there it was A Rufus Bush Chat, we then spent the next half an hour watching The Bush Chat but not just one but two bush chats and a third heard, a new bird for this area as I've not heard of it being reported there before.
Spectacled Warbler
European Roller
European Bee-eaters
There had been some light overnight rain and Trevor was not keen to leave the tarmac road as it meant getting the rented car a bit dirty, so we had a little bit of a flat period with not much happening except a flyover of a Montague Harrier. we had all most gone completely around, when I said to Mark, this is a good area for Spectacled Warbler so I asked if we should stop and listen sure enough we heard the call of Spectacled Warbler we all got out the car Trevor then pick a Short-toed Eagle on a distant pylon, Mark was trying to photograph the Spectacled , I heard a scratchy call very close. I peeped over the top of a bush and there it was A Rufus Bush Chat, we then spent the next half an hour watching The Bush Chat but not just one but two bush chats and a third heard, a new bird for this area as I've not heard of it being reported there before.
With time running out I said we should try another scrub area for Spectacled Warbler and within a few moments it popped up right in front of us.
Spectacled Warbler
Running short of WertherS caramel we had to ration them to just one sweet each.
Running short of WertherS caramel we had to ration them to just one sweet each.
A nice finish to yet another great day we headed off home.
Day Four Montnegre and Maigmo
7 o'clock start, and wanting to be at the Alicante end to have the light behind us as we travel up the mountain track, Unfortunately, Mark couldn't make it for today's visit, big shame as he misses one of those mega days. Our target bird for today was the elusive Trumpeter Finch, we went almost to the same spot that I'd seen one a few years ago. A Rock Bunting kept us entertained and Black Wheatears perched up for us.
Rock Bunting
Two birds flew around the rock face calling I was sure they were Trumpeters, a little while later one Trumpeter Finch perched on the power wires above us but into the strong sunlight, it was great to see, but in a terrible light, we decide not to give up just yet.
Trumpeter Finch
Trevor then had a great view of two more birds which dropped in front of him, but move off quickly and flew far away into the distance, in the meantime the Rock Bunting was showing off.
Then without warning Trevor call raptor, it was two Bonelli's Eagle showing really well and circling over the rock face, the best view I've ever had, the way things were going I would have to go buy another bag WertherS caramel moments, we spent around about 2+hours at the rock face.
Bonelli's Eagle
Bonelli's Eagle
Bonelli's Eagle
We move another 300 meters to a flat area and 2 more Trumpeter Finch dropped in front of us, I managed to get a few record photos.
Trevor then had a great view of two more birds which dropped in front of him, but move off quickly and flew far away into the distance, in the meantime the Rock Bunting was showing off.
Then without warning Trevor call raptor, it was two Bonelli's Eagle showing really well and circling over the rock face, the best view I've ever had, the way things were going I would have to go buy another bag WertherS caramel moments, we spent around about 2+hours at the rock face.
We move another 300 meters to a flat area and 2 more Trumpeter Finch dropped in front of us, I managed to get a few record photos.
Trumpeter Finch
Trumpeter Finch
More than happy that we persevered and got a result we wanted. It's possible that we were seeing the same birds all the time but my guess they were all different birds?
Further along the track after the village of Montnegre by the flat area and the lone tree I called a raptor which was very low and only just circling above the ravine very odd behaviour, as it turns out it was a Golden Eagle which then gathers height and was lost in the blue sky.
Golden Eagle
Later Griffon Vultures circled and Peregrine Flacon flew across.
Later Griffon Vultures circled and Peregrine Flacon flew across.
Crossing over to Maigmo mountain Woodlark, Tree Creeper, and all the Tits were seen. Plus Iberian Green Woodpecker and Crossbill.
Woodlark
Short-toed Tree Creeper
Short-toed Tree Creeper
And now we had now seen all the Eagles on the Spanish list within 4 days without leaving the Alicante area how good is that?
And now we had now seen all the Eagles on the Spanish list within 4 days without leaving the Alicante area how good is that?
(Not including the Great Spotted Eagle)
which we both seen earlier this year.
which we both seen earlier this year.
Day Five and last morning
After the last few days, this morning local birding was always going to be an anticlimax how wrong I was? first, we had a look for Rufous bush chats on the historical Carabassi site but no luck there on the route a couple of Audouin's gulls, and then on to the Santa Pola Salina's plenty of Yellow Wagtails and Collard Pratincole's and an El Pinet, just the summer resident breeding birds.
European Roller
We went on to a European Roller site where we watch them performing it was truly a pleasure to watch them.
European Roller
On the road close to the Monastery we heard the raucous call of Great-spotted Cuckoo and to our amazement, there were 3. They chased each other and the Magpies around for about half an hour, at time's only a meter or so from us, what a brilliant show!
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo
On the road close to the Monastery we heard the raucous call of Great-spotted Cuckoo and to our amazement, there were 3. They chased each other and the Magpies around for about half an hour, at time's only a meter or so from us, what a brilliant show!
I reluctantly we move on as we headed for San Felipe, in one field over 150 Glossy Ibis, a Little Owl stood its ground while I took his portrait.
At San Felipe a nesting Marble Duck, Red-knobbed Coot, and Whisker Tern, Purple Swamp Hen, Great Reed Warbler, adding to our list making a total for Trevor's trip a respectable 113 species and with only 4 waders on the list Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover and Collard Pratincole makes it even more impressive.
At San Felipe a nesting Marble Duck, Red-knobbed Coot, and Whisker Tern, Purple Swamp Hen, Great Reed Warbler, adding to our list making a total for Trevor's trip a respectable 113 species and with only 4 waders on the list Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover and Collard Pratincole makes it even more impressive.
Summary
This last weeks birding with Trevor and Mark was brilliant, and up there with the best, like Extremadura and Pyrenees
Have a great day
Cheers Bryan
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